/ 


Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (12  inches). 

The  “ Mischianza.” 
Southeastern  Pennsylvania,  1786. 
Museum  No.  ’00-20. 


ART  PRIMER 


CERAMIC  SERIES,  No.  3 


Pennsylvania  Museum  and  School  of  Industrial  Art 


Lead  Glazed  Pottery 

PART  FIRST  (COMMON  CLAYS) 

Plain  Glazed,  Sgraffito 

AND 

Slip-Decorated  Wares 

BY 

EDWIN  ATLEE  BARBER,  A.M.,  Ph.D. 

Curator 


PRINTED  FOR  THE  MUSEUM 
PHILADELPHIA 
1907 


Copyright,  1907,  by 

The  Pennsylvania  Museum 
and 

School  of  Industrial  Art 


Philadelphia,  Pa. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


The  Art  Primers  of  the  Pennsylvania  Museum  and  School  of 
Industrial  Art  are  designed  to  furnish,  in  a compact  form,  for  the 
use  of  collectors,  students,  and  artisans,  the  most  reliable  infor- 
mation, based  on  the  latest  discoveries,  relating  to  the  various  in- 
dustrial arts.  Each  monograph,  complete  in  itself,  contains  a his- 
torical sketch,  a review  of  processes,  descriptions  of  characteristic 
examples  of  the  best  productions,  and  all  available  data  that  will 
serve  to  facilitate  the  identification  of  specimens.  In  other  words, 
these  booklets  are  intended  to  serve  as  authoritative  and  perma- 
nent reference  works  on  the  various  subjects  treated.  The  illus- 
trations employed,  unless  otherwise  stated,  are  reproductions  of 
examples  in  the  collections  of  the  Museum  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Museum  and  School  of  Industrial  Art. 

In  these  reviews  of  the  several  branches  of  ceramics,  the  geo- 
graphical arrangement  used  by  other  writers  has  given  place  to  the 
natural  or  technical  classification,  to  permit  the  grouping  of  simi- 
lar wares  of  all  countries  and  times,  whereby  pottery,  or  opaque 
ware,  is  classified  according  to  glaze , its  most  distinctive  feature, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  porcelain,  or  translucent  ware,  is  grouped 
according  to  body , or  paste. 

Lead  Glazed  Pottery  is  of  two  varieties : 

1.  Earthenware  of  red,  brown,  or  buff  body  (common  clays). 

2.  Earthenware  of  white  or  cream  colored  body  (white  clays). 

In  the  preparation  of  a Primer  on  Common  Lead  Glazed  Pottery 

the  author  has  consulted  the  principal  authorities  on  the  subject, 
and  he  is  particularly  indebted,  for  many  of  the  facts  presented, 
to  The  Art  of  the  Old  English  Potter , by  M.  L.  Solon ; Early  English 
Pottery , Named , Dated  and  Inscribed , by  John  Eliot  Hodgkin  and 
Edith  Hodgkin;  Tulip  Ware  of  the  Pennsylvania-German  Potters,  by 
Edwin  A.  Barber ; Histoire  Generate  de  la  Faience  Ancienne,  by  Ris 
Paquot ; English  Earthenware  and  Stoneware , by  William  Burton  ; 
South  Kensington  Handbook  on  English  Earthenware , by  Prof. 
A.  H.  Church ; Ceramic  Art  in  Great  Britain , by  Lie  welly  nn  Jewitt ; 
The  Art  of  Pottery , by  Joseph  Mayer. 


E.  A.  B. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/leadglazedpotterOObarb 


LEAD  GLAZED  POTTERY. 


PART  FIRST  (COMMON  CLAYS). 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

Earthenware  made  of  the  ordinary,  coarse  clays,  containing 
more  or  less  iron  and  other  impurities,  which  impart  to  the  baked 
ware  a red,  brown,  or  buff  color,  is  usually  glazed  with  lead,  either 
in  the  form  of  powder  dusted  on  the  surface,  or  in  combination 
with  water  thickened  with  fine  clay,  as  a wash,  which  may  be  ap- 
plied with  a brush,  or  into  which  the  ware  may  be  dipped.  The 
heat  of  the  kiln  melts  the  lead,  which  covers  the  surface  as  a trans- 
parent glass,  sometimes  being  entirely  clear  and  colorless,  but,  in 
the  commoner  varieties  of  ware,  usually  possessing  a yellowish 
tint.  Glaze  composed  largely  or  entirely  of  lead  intensifies  the 
color  of  the  clay,  making  it  appear  darker,  as  though  covered  with 
a heavy  coating  of  varnish.  This  effect  can  best  be  observed  on 
the  under  sides  of  plates  or  other  objects,  where  the  glaze  has  run 
over  the  edge.  The  parts  covered  by  the  glaze  are  dark  and  rich 
in  color,  while  the  unglazed  portions  are  much  paler  in  tone.  The 
body,  being  quite  soft  and  porous  and  imperfectly  baked,  does  not 
combine  with  the  glaze,  which  is  harder,  and  liable  to  craze,  or 
crack,  and  peel  off.  Sometimes  the  glaze  is  darkened  by  the  addi- 
tion of  a small  quantity  of  manganese,  when  it  becomes  brown  or 
chocolate  colored,  while  a larger  proportion  renders  the  glaze  black 
and  opaque.  Green  color  is  obtained  by  the  introduction  of  ver- 
digris, or  oxide  of  copper.  When  lead  glaze  is  applied  to  white 
slip  the  appearance  is  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  the  white  tin 
glaze  of  Delft  ware,  but  the  lead  glaze  can  be  distinguished  from 
the  stanniferous  enamel  by  its  transparency,  while  the  latter  is 
opaque  and  putty-like  in  appearance.  Lead  glaze,  unless  arti- 
ficially stained,  does  not  conceal  the  decorations  or  coloring  of  the 
clay  beneath.  Tin  enamel,  on  the  other  hand,  obscures  the  colors 
it  covers.  The  decorations  must  be  painted  on,  or  in,  the  dense 
white  enamel. 


6 


ORIGIN. 

Lead  applied  to  pottery  as  a coating  to  render  it  impervious  to 
liquids,  was  used  in  Europe  as  early  as  the  twelfth  century.  Dr. 
W.  C.  Prime,  in  his  Pottery  and  Porcelain  of  all  Times  and  Nations , 
states  that  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  lead-glazed  pottery  was 
made  in  Italy  “ from  the  eighth  to  the  fifteenth  century,”  at  which 
period  stanniferous  enamel  began  to  take  its  place  as  a covering 
for  pottery  which  was  to  be  decorated  by  the  application  of  colors, 
but  the  more  ordinary  varieties  of  earthenware  continued  to  be 
glazed  with  lead  through  the  following  centuries  down  to  the 
present  day. 

Common  Lead  Glazed  Pottery  may  be  divided  into  four  groups, 
as  follows : — 

I.  Plain  Glazed  Pottery. 

II.  Sgraffito,  or  Incised,  Pottery. 

III.  Slip-Decorated,  or  Slip-Painted,  Pottery. 

IV.  Modeled,  or  Moulded,  Pottery. 

I.  PLAIN  GLAZED  POTTERY. 

In  Europe  and  America,  and  in  fact  in  almost  every  civilized 
country,  pottery  for  ordinary  purposes  has  been  made  of  common 
clay  glazed  with  lead  for  hundreds  of  years.  The  same  style  of 
homely  crock  or  dish  produced  in  Germany  and  England  nearly 
three  centuries  ago  continues  to  be  made  there  to-day.  The  first 
earthenware  essayed  by  white  settlers  in  the  territory  of  the  pres- 
ent United  States,  at  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,  was 
of  a similar  character  to  that  which  has  been  produced  at  myriads 
of  pot-works  throughout  the  country  to  the  present  day.  As  such 
ware  is  usually  undecorated,  or  possesses  the  most  rudimentary 
embellishments,  it  is  not  of  sufficient  importance  to  merit  more 
than  a passing  notice.  Ordinary  pie  plates,  glazed  flower  pots, 
drinking  cups,  crocks,  jugs,  and  jars,  are  well-known  forms  of  this 
utilitarian  product.  So  similar  in  appearance  is  all  pottery  of  this 
class  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  decide  where  or  when  any  par- 
ticular piece  may  have  been  made,  unless  it  should  bear  some  dis- 
tinguishing mark,  or  be  fashioned  in  some  unmistakably  charac- 
teristic form.  Such  ware  was  intended  solely  to  serve  the  homely 
purposes  for  which  it  was  designed. 


7 


At  potteries  where  decorated  lead  glazed  ware  was  produced,  by 
far  the  larger  part  of  the  output  was  intended  for  ordinary  use, 
being  of  such  a nature  that  it  could  he  sold  at  a low  price  and 
readily  replaced  when  broken.  Ornamental  pieces,  such  ,as  belong 
to  the  second  and  third  classes  described  here,  were  made  only  in 
limited  numbers,  either  during  the  leisure  time  of  the  potter,  or  to 
fill  special  orders.  Such  examples  were,  as  a rule,  designed  for 
gifts  or  for  the  beautifying  of  the  home,  and  it  is  because  they  were 
carefully  preserved  and  not  subjected  to  hard  usage  that  so  many  of 
them  have  survived  until  the  present  time. 

In  mediaeval  times  one  variety  of  coarse  red  earthenware  was 
covered  with  a heavy  green  or  brown  glaze.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  seventeenth  century  this  same  style  of  ware  was  extensively 
manufactured  in  Staffordshire  and  elsewhere,  the  lead  glaze  being 
colored  by  means  of  metallic  oxides. 

II.  SGRAFFITO , OR  INCISED , POTTERY. 

Sgraffito  decoration,  or  slip-engraving,  consists  in  covering  the 
ware  completely  with  a thin  coating,  or  engobe , of  slip,  or  liquid 
clay,  of  a different  color,  through  which  the  ornamental  devices 
are  scratched  with  a pointed  instrument,  to  show  the  darker  color 
of  the  body  clay  beneath.  In  a general  way  it  may  be  said  that 
sgraffito  work  is  characterized  by  dark  designs  in  a white  or  yel- 
lowish field,  the  decorations  being  depressed  or  intaglioed.  Some- 
times the  devices  are  executed  directly  on  the  body  of  the  ware 
itself,  without  the  superimposed  slip,  the  scratched  designs  then 
being  of  the  same  color  as  the  ground. 

PROCESSES. 

Sgraffito  pottery  was  usually  finished  at  a single  firing.  After 
the  vessels  had  been  formed,  and  before  the  clay  was  entirely  dry, 
the  decoration  was  accomplished,  and  over  this  the  glaze  was  ap- 
plied. The  pieces  were  then  placed  in  the  kiln  and  baked.  Some- 
times, however,  the  pieces  were  fired  before  glazing,  and  the  glaze 
was  applied  to  the  biscuit  ware  and  subjected  to  a second  baking. 

ITALY. 

In  Italy  sgraffito  ware  was  extensively  produced  in  the  fifteenth 
century,  but  rude  examples  imbedded  in  the  facades  of  old  Italian 
churches  are  believed  to  date  back  to  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
centuries. 


8 


The  principal  centres  of  manufacture  were  Citta  di  Castello  and 
Castel  Durante.  At  Pavia  some  of  the  best  work  of  this  character 
was  executed  at  the  latter  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  by  Pres- 
biter  Antonius,  several  examples  of  which  are  in  the  South  Ken- 
sington Museum.  A deep  dish  or  bowl  in  this  Museum,  measuring 
twenty-four  inches  in  diameter,  belongs  probably  to  the  seventeenth 
century.  It  is  made  of  yellow  clay  and  covered  with  a chocolate 
brown  glaze,  and  bears  in  the  centre  a representation  of  the  Cruci- 
fixion, painted  in  several  colors.  Around  the  border  are  Cupids  in 
various  attitudes.  The  outlines  of  the  designs  have  been  incised 
with  a sharp  point  (see  No.  1). 

The  glaze  of  the  old  Italian  sgraffito  pottery  was  composed  of 
one  part  of  sand  to  two  parts  of  lead. 

FRANCE. 

While  surviving  examples  of  sgraffito  work  from  French  pot- 
teries are  not  abundant,  an  excellent  specimen  is  figured  by  M. 
Pis  Paquot  in  his  “ Histoire  Generate  de  la  Faience  Ancienne  Fran - 
gaise  et  Etrangere  ” This  example,  which  is  in  the  Sevres  Museum, 
is  of  red  clay  and  bears  a scratched  device  in  the  centre  represent- 
ing a tulip  plant  with  five  flowers,  surrounded  by  a broad  band 
of  lattice  or  checker  work.  Around  the  marly,  or  border,  are  in- 
scribed in  Gothic,  or  old  German  characters,  the  words : 

“ Je  Cuis  planter  pour  raverdir,  vive  Truppet.” 

I am  planted  to  bloom  again,  long  live  Truppet. 

After  each  word  is  scratched  a conventionalized  tulip.  The  sur- 
face is  covered  with  a transparent  glaze,  which  reveals  the  presence 
of  a large  amount  of  oxide  of  copper  that  appears  in  green  streaks 
and  patches  across  the  white  slip  coating.  This  piece,  which  is  of 
special  interest  on  account  of  its  striking  resemblance,  both  in 
the  lettering  and  general  treatment,  to  the  Pennsylvania-German 
ware,  has  been  assigned  to  the  fourteenth  century,  but  we  are  in- 
clined to  attribute  it  to  a considerably  later  period,  the  latter  part 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  In  the  same  work  is  figured  a similar 
dish  in  the  Amiens  Museum  (see  No.  2),  made  of  red  clay  covered 
with  yellow  engobe,  through  which  has  been  graved  with  a sharp 
point  a device  consisting  of  a man  on  horseback  and  a dog  beneath. 
The  border  is  ornamented  with  foliated  scrollwork,  the  yellow  and 


1.  Sgraffito  Dish  (24  inches  in  diameter). 
The  Crucifixion. 

Italy,  Seventeenth  (?)  Century. 
Museum  No.  ’82-229. 


2.  Sgraffito  Plate. 
Probably  Seventeenth  Century. 

By  Entoine  of  Anglefontaine,  France. 
In  the  Museum  of  Amiens. 


3.  Sgraffito  Dish  ('it;  inches). 

German  Luxembourg,  1713. 
Trumbull-Prime  Collection,  Princeton  University 


4.  Sgraffito  Dish  (22  inches). 

German  Luxembourg,  1752. 

Trumbull- Prime  Collection,  Princeton  University. 


9 


red  of  the  superior  and  lower  clays  being  enriched  by  touches  of 
green.  Over  all  is  a lead  glaze,  which  brings  out  and  intensifies 
the  rich  coloring  of  the  clay.  On  the  back  of  the  plate,  in  letters 
traced  with  a point,  are  the  names  of  the  maker  and  place  of  fabrr 
cation,  “ Entoine  d’Englefontaine.” 

Another  plate  of  the  same  character,  in  the  Museum  at  Amiens, 
shows  a sgraffito  design  in  red  and  white  of  a soldier  on  horseback, 
with  helmet  on  head  and  lance  in  hand,  and  a foliage  border,  some- 
what similar  to  that  of  the  preceding.  On  the  bottom  is  inscribed : 
“ St.  George,  Patron  of  Englefontaine.” 

A third  example  is  decorated  with  a vase  of  flowers.  To  the 
right  and  left  are  figures  of  a man  and  woman  bearing  fruit  in 
their  hands,  and  on  the  back  are  scratched  these  words  : 

“ Ad.  Rebaix-M.  H.  Pilate.” 

Other  pieces  in  the  sgraffito  style  are  embellished  with  figures  of 
birds  and  flowers.  These  productions  were  made  at  Anglefon- 
taine,  in  the  Department  of  Nord,  the  extreme  northern  part  of 
France,  just  across  the  Belgian  line,  and  not  far  from  the  German 
frontier. 

GERMANY. 

Sgraffito  ware  was  produced  in  Germany,  notably  in  Saxony, 
more  than  two  hundred  years  ago.  There  are  in  the  Trumbull- 
Prime  collection,  now  in  the  museum  of  Princeton  University,  two 
large  dishes  or  plaques  of  the  sgraffito  style,  which  have  been  at- 
tributed by  Dr.  Prime  to  German  Luxembourg.  One  of  these,  rep- 
resenting the  Crucifixion,  with  figures  of  Saints,  the  instruments 
of  the  Passion  and  large  flowers,  is  twenty-six  inches  in  diameter 
and  bears  the  date  1713  (see  No.  3).  The  other,  twenty-two  inches 
in  diameter,  shows  a full-length  figure  of  St.  Joseph  standing  in  an 
arched  frame,  holding  the  infant  Jesus,  above  which  is  the  crowned 
eagle  of  the  Holy  Roman  Empire.  On  the  border  is  a wreath  of 
scrolls  and  flowers,  and  beneath  the  figure  is  inscribed  Johannes 
Murs , Johanno  Murs , the  names  of  the  recipients  of  the  dish,  which 
was  probably  intended  as  a wedding  gift,  and  the  date  1752  (see 
No.  4). 

To  a later  period  belongs  a deep  dish,  also  in  the  Museum  col- 
lection, embellished  with  the  representation,  in  painted  slips,  of  a 
mounted  officer,  accentuated  with  incised  outlines.  Around  the 
border  is  a running  design  of  raised  red  slip  dots  and  engraved 
waving  line  (see  No.  5). 


10 


AUSTRIA. 

Similar  wares  were  produced  in  Galicia,  Austria,  during  the 
eighteenth  century. 

SWITZERLAND. 

Sgraffito  pottery  similar  to  that  of  Germany  was  fabricated  in 
the  eighteenth  century  at  Langnau,  Canton  of  Berne,  and  other 
places  in  Switzerland. 

ENGLAND. 

The  earliest  tiles  in  England  were  produced  probably  in  the 
12th  or  13th  century.  Encaustic  tiles  with  incised  decoration  in 
one  color,  covered  with  lead  glaze,  antedated  the  inlaid.  In  the 
Museum  collection  is  a fragment  of  a buff  clay  tile  with  rudely 
incised  birds.  The  color  of  the  glaze  is  dark  brown. 

Probably  belonging  to  the  17th  century  is  a red  clay  tile  about 
five  inches  square  with  deeply  incised  pattern,  the  whole  surface 
being  covered  with  white  slip  and  glazed  with  lead. 

Decoration  by  means  of  stamped  designs  inlaid  with  clay  of  a 
different  color,  the  whole  covered  with  a lead  glaze,  was  practised 
in  England  in  the  Middle  Ages.  Such  tiles  were  used  for  flooring 
in  many  of  the  old  English  churches,  and  in  some  instances  these 
tiles  were  manufactured  in  the  vicinity  of  the  buildings  in  which 
they  were  to  be  used.  The  process  was  as  follows : 

While  the  clay  tile  was  still  moist  the  design  was  impressed  in 
it  with  a die,  or  stamp,  and  the  depressions  were  filled  with  white 
pipe  clay.  The  lead  glaze  which  was  used,  being  of  a yellowish 
tint,  produced  the  effect  of  bright  yellow  designs  in  a dark  red  or 
brown  ground.  In  this  Museum’s  collection  are  some  good  ex- 
amples of  this  style,  one  of  which  is  here  figured  (see  No.  7).  It 
shows  the  crudely  executed  arms  of  Great  Britain.  These  exam- 
ples are  supposed  to  date  back  at  least  as  far  as  the  17th  century. 

In  England  sgraffito  decoration  was  resorted  to  more  rarely  than 
in  Germany,  but  several  fine  pieces  are  figured  by  Hodgkin  in  his 
work  on  “Early  English  Pottery,  Named,  Dated,  and  Inscribed.” 
Among  the  earliest  pieces  of  English  sgraffito  ware  known  to  col- 
lectors is  a jug  in  the  Norwich  (England)  Museum,  fourteen  inches 
in  height,  which  bears  the  date  1670.  A jug  twelve  inches  in 
height,  with  incised  designs  and  inscription,  dated  1698,  owned  by 


5.  Sgraffito  Dish  (13  inches). 
Germany,  Early  Nineteenth  Century. 
Museum  No.  ’03-384. 


6.  Sgraffito  Jug  (12  inches  in  height). 
Devonshire,  England,  1698. 


7.  Lead  Glazed  Tile  (6%  inches). 
Arms  of  Great  Britain, 

White  Clay  inlaid  in  Red. 
England,  probably  Seventeenth  Century. 
Museum  No.  N.  570. 


11 


an  American  collector,  is  a good  example  of  this  style  (see  No.  6). 
It  is  of  yellow  clay  with  heavy  brown  glaze,  and  is  probably  of 
Devonshire  production.  A similar  piece,  figured  by  Hodgkin, 
bears  the  date  of  1703. 

Sgraffito  ware  was  produced  to  a considerable  extent  at  Wrotham, 
in  Kent,  late  in  the  seventeenth,  and  early  in  the  eighteenth,  cen- 
tury. 

THE  UNITED  STATES. 

When  the  first  German  immigrants  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  late 
in  the  seventeenth  century,  they  brought  the  art  of  sgraffito  and 
slip-decoration  with  them,  and  established  it  as  a new  process  of 
ceramic  manufacture  in  the  States.  These  pioneer  German  pot- 
ters erected  numerous  small  pot-works  for  the  manufacture  of 
such  wares  as  were  needed  to  supply  the  simple  wants  of  their 
neighbors.  Each  local  pottery  seems  to  have  been  supported  by 
the  patronage  of  relatives  and  friends  of  the  proprietor,  or  by  sales 
which  were  made  in  the  neighboring  towns. 

The  processes  of  the  old  slip  potters  in  Pennsylvania  were  prac- 
tically the  same  as  those  which  were  employed  in  the  Valley  of 
the  Rhine  in  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries.  They 
soon  began  to  exert  a strong  influence  on  their  English-speaking 
neighbors,  and  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  a 
number  of  American  potters  in  eastern  Pennsylvania  began  the 
manufacture  of  sgraffito  and  slip-decorated  earthenware,  having 
adopted  the  German  methods,  even  to  the  extent  of  employing  the 
tulip  as  a decorative  motive  and  using  English  inscriptions  to 
beautify  their  more  ornate  productions  (see  No.  8). 

The  Pennsylvania-German  potteries  were  confined  almost  en- 
tirely to  two  counties  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  Bucks  and 
Montgomery.  A few  other  pot-works  were  scattered  through  the 
adjoining  counties,  but  their  products  are  not  so  well  known.  The 
oldest  known  piece  of  sgraffito  ware  from  this  section  bears  the 
date  of  1762  (see  No.  9).  It  is  a large  circular  meat  dish,  fifteen 
inches  in  diameter,  with  a conventionalized  floral  device  in  red 
and  green,  and  around  the  margin  an  English  inscription  : 

1 1 Not  be  Ashamed  I Advice  thee  Most 
if  one  Learneth  thee  what  Thou  not  Knowest 
the  Ingenious  is  Accounted  Brave 
But  the  Clumsey  None  desire  to  have  1762.’  * 


12 


A square  brown-glazed  tea  caddy,  about  six  inches  in  height,  is 
owned  by  Mr.  James  Terry,  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  on  one  side  of 
which  is  etched,  through  a coating  of  yellowish  slip,  a rude  design 
of  a fruit  tree  with  two  birds  at  the  base,  and  the  inscription, 
“ Esther  Smith,  Her  Tea  Cannister,  September  6,  1767,”  and  in 
the  lower  right-hand  corner  the  name  of  the  maker,  “ Smith  ” 
(No.  10).  Joseph  Smith  established  a pottery  in  Wrightstown 
township,  Bucks  county,  Pa.,  about  the  year  1763,  and  while  not 
a German  himself,  appears  to  have  adopted  some  of  the  methods 
of  his  neighboring  German  craftsmen.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Thomas  Smith,  probably  his  son,  and  several  sgraffito  plates  with 
lines  of  poetry  and  dates  are  in  existence,  which  bear  the  latter’s 
name. 

In  the  collection  of  Mr.  George  H.  Danner,  of  Manheim,  Pa.,  is 
a pie  plate  which  is  also  believed  to  have  come  from  the  Smith 
pottery.  The  ornamentation  consists  of  a bird,  tulips,  and  a large 
heart,  on  the  latter  of  which  is  scratched  the  date  1773  and  the 
words, 

“This  dish  and  hart 
Shall  never  Part.” 

Among  the  most  elaborately  decorated  and  inscribed  earthen- 
ware of  the  Pennsylvania-German  settlements  was  that  produced 
by  one  Georg  Hiibener.  We  do  not  know  the  exact  site  of  his  pot- 
tery, but  it  is  believed  to  have  been  somewhere  in  the  upper  part 
of  Montgomery  county,  where  the  name  was  at  one  time  some- 
what common.  The  principal  characteristics  of  Hiibener’s  pieces 
are  two  circles  of  lettering,  instead  of  one,  and  the  inscribed  names 
of  persons  for  whom  they  were  intended,  the  majority  of  examples 
attributed  to  him  being  thus  distinguished.  A large  circular  meat 
or  vegetable  dish  shows  in  the  centre  an  incised  device  of  a two- 
headed  bird,  which  at  first  sight  might  be  taken  for  the  royal 
double  eagle  of  the  German  Empire,  but  it  is  in  reality  intended 
to  represent  a pair  of  doves  with  united  bodies  forming  a single 
heart,  typical  of  love  and  union.  In  the  space  above  is  the  date 
of  manufacture,  1786,  while  at  the  sides  are  large  tulips  and  the 
initials  of  the  maker,  G.  IP.  Around  the  rim  is  incised  the  follow- 
ing: 

“Cadarina  Raederin  Ihre  Schiissel, — 

Aus  der  ehrt  mit  verstant 
Macht  der  Haefner  aller  Hand.” 


Vegetable  Dish,  with  Bird  and  Tulips.  Made  by  John  Leidy,  Montgomery  County,  Pa.,  1796. 
Flower  Jar,  writh  Fuchsia  Motive  and  Inscription. 

Drinking  Cup,  with  Foliage  Decoration. 


9.  Sgraffito  Dish  (15%  inches). 
Southeastern  Pennsylvania,  1762. 
Museum  No.  ’92-42. 


10.  Sgraffito  Tea  Canister. 

Made  by  3 oseph  'Smith  ,1767. 

Owned  by  Mr.  James  Terry,  Hartford,.  Con n . 


M 


W- 


c%9 


i , 


1 


KNKS 


| tow 

Sp: 

3 11 

J3i  if 

ifm; 


11.  Sgraffito  Meat  Dish  (12%  inches). 
Peacock  and  Tulip  Decoration. 
Made  by  Georg  Hiibener,  1789. 
Museum  No.  ’96-75. 


12.  Sgraffito  Dish  (12%  inches). 
United  Doves  and  Tulips. 

By  Georg  Hiibener,  Montgomery  Co.,  Pa.,  1786. 

Muslim  No  ’00-01. 


\ 


13 


Catherine  Baeder,  her  dish, — 

Out  of  earth  with  understanding 
The  potter  makes  everything. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  carefully  executed  examples  of  sgraffito 
ware  which  has  come  to  light  in  Pennsylvania,  the  designs  having 
been  boldly  carved  through  the  layer  of  white  slip  into  the  red 
clay  beneath,  while  splotches  of  dark  green  in  the  glaze  relieve  the 
monotony  of  red  and  white.  Close  examination  will  show  a net- 
work of  crackling  over  the  entire  ground,  purely  accidental,  of 
course,  but  fully  equal  in  regularity  and  fine  effect  to  some  of  the 
Oriental  crackle  ware  which  is  so  highly  prized  by  the  connoisseur 
(see  No.  12). 

Another  pan-shaped  dish  of  similar  shape  and  size  is  orna- 
mented with  equal  care  and  detail  (No.  11).  The  decorations  con- 
sist of  a central  circle  inclosing  a tulip  plant  with  two  large  flowers, 
surmounted  by  a peacock  preening  his  abundant  plumes.  Out- 
side of  this  are  three  concentric  bands,  on  the  outer  of  which  is 
the  name  of  the  recipient, — 

“ Mathalena  Jungin  ; ilir  Schiissel,” 

followed  by  this  favorite  legend  : 

“Die  Schussel  ist  von  Ert  gemacht 
Wann  sie  verbricht  der  Haefner  lacht 
Darum  nempt  sie  in  acht.  ’ ’ 

Madalena  Young  ; her  dish. 

This  dish  is  made  of  earth, 

When  it  breaks  the  potter  laughs, 

Therefore  take  care  of  it  (in  acht  nehmen). 

The  second  circle  is  filled  with  ornaments  representing  tulip  blooms 
and  miniature  trees,  arranged  alternately,  while  the  inner  band 
bears  the  date  of  fabrication,  1789,  and  the  following  inscribed 
sentiment: 

‘ ‘ Blummen  Mollen  ist  gemein 
Aber  den  geruch  zugeben  vermach  nur  Gott  allein.  ’ ’ 

To  paint  ( malen ) flowers  is  common, 

But  God  alone  is  able  ( vermogen ) to  give  fragrance. 

Andrew  Headman  operated  a small  pottery  in  Bucks  county, 
Pa.,  at  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Several  of  his 


14 


productions,  signed  and  dated,  are  extant,  one  of  which  is  pre- 
served in  this  Museum.  It  is  a pie  plate  with  sgraffito  decoration 
consisting  of  a parrot  surrounded  by  tulips  and  fuchsias,  marked 
with  the  initials  A.  H.  and  the  date  1808  (see  No.  13). 

One  of  the  most  pleasing  designs  in  sgraffito  work,  of  Pennsyl- 
vania-German origin,  is  a pie  plate  on  which  a man  and  woman 
are  represented  facing  each  other  with  clasped  hands.  The  at- 
titudes of  the  figures  and  their  gaudily  colored  costumes  are  sug- 
gestive of  a wedding  ceremony,  and  this  idea  is  carried  out  by  the 
inscription  which  encircles  the  margin : 

“ Alle  schone  Junfern  hat  Grott  Erschafen 
Die  sein  vor  die  Hefner  iiwer  nicht  viir  die  Pfaffen 
21  ten  Ocdober  Anno  1793.” 

All  beautiful  maidens  bath  God  created 
They  are  for  the  potter  but  not  for  the  priests. 

This  piece  was  probably  made  for  a marriage  gift  to  some  brother 
of  the  craft,  the  date  of  the  happy  event  being  the  21st  of  October, 
1793.  The  delineation  furnishes  us  with  a glimpse  of  the  fashions 
of  that  period  in  the  German  settlements  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
tall  hats  of  the  bride  and  groom;  the  arrangement  of  the  lady’s 
hair  in  a net,  and  her  flowered  gown ; the  queue  and  ruffled  shirt 
front,  long-tailed  coat  and  knee  breeches  of  the  groom,  surrounded 
by  foliage  and  blossoms  in  red  and  green,  with  turtle  doves  strut- 
ting beneath,  present  a quaint  picture  of  a century  ago  (No.  14). 

A curious  old  pie  plate  in  this  Museum’s  collection  is  particularly 
noteworthy  on  account  of  the  unusual  number  of  human  figures 
which  cover  its  surface.  It  is  probable  that  the  design  was  inspired 
by  that  historical  and  elaborate  entertainment  which  was  given  to 
the  British  General,  Sir  William  Howe,  by  his  officers  on  the  oc- 
casion of  his  departure  from  Philadelphia  in  1778,  commonly 
known  as  the  Mischianza.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  date  of  the 
plate  is  1786,  some  eight  years  later  than  the  event  depicted,  but 
in  those  days  news  traveled  slowly  and  such  a period  of  time  might 
readily  elapse  before  the  deliberate  country  potter  was  moved  to 
use  as  a subject  for  ceramic  illustration  the  description  of  that 
spectacular  performance  which  had  penetrated  to  his  inland  com- 
munity. As  his  intercourse  with  the  outside  world  was  exceed- 
ingly limited  and  his  knowledge  of  high  life  was  circumscribed, 
he  used  the  females  of  his  own  social  circle,  with  their  tulip-figured 


13.  Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (12  inches). 
Parrot  and  Tulip  Decoration. 
Made  by  Andrew  Headman,  1808. 
Museum  No.  ’01-116. 


14.  Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (12  inches). 
A Wedding. 

Southeastern  Pennsylvania,  1793. 


Museum  No.  ’00-19. 


15.  Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (11%  inches,). 
With  Human  Figures. 

Made  by  David  Spinner,  about  1800. 
Museum  No.  ’01-169. 


16, 17.  Two  Sgraffito  Pie  Plates  (11%  inches). 
Shewing  continuous  Scene  of  a Deer  Chase. 
By  David  Spinner,  about  1S00. 

Museum  Nos.  ’00-74,  76. 


15 


gowns  and  provincial  headgear,  as  models  for  the  aristocratic 
dames  of  the  fashionable  city,  while  the  British  officers  were  rep- 
resented in  red  and  green  uniforms,  with  whom  the  fiddler  was 
supposed  to  be  of  equal  rank  and  importance.  It  is  amusing  to 
see  the  stately  minuet  thus  portrayed  on  a homely  pie  dish  and 
accompanied  by  an  inscribed  sentiment  which  bears  as  little  rela- 
tion to  the  subject  as  it  does  to  polite  literature  (see  Frontispiece). 

David  Spinner  was  one  of  the  foremost  potters  of  Bucks  county, 
Pa.  We  have  not  been  able  to  learn  when  his  pottery  was  estab- 
lished, but  it  must  have  been  in  existence  previous  to  the  begin- 
ning of  the  century  which  has  just  come  to  a close,  since  authenti- 
cated examples  of  his  ware  are  known  which  bear  dates  as  early 
as  1801.  The  old  pottery  was  situated  on  Willow  Creek,  in  Milford 
township,  near  the  line  of  Lehigh  county,  on  Spinner’s  farm. 
David  Spinner  was  born  in  this  country  on  May  16,  1758,  his 
father,  Ulrich  Spinner,  having  come  from  Zurich,  Switzerland,  in 
1739,  to  Bucks  county,  where  he  took  up  about  400  acres  of  land. 
David  wras  considered  quite  an  artist  by  his  contemporaries  and 
decorated  the  ware  with  his  own  hand.  He  possessed  a marked 
ability  for  off-hand  sketching  that  exceeded  the  artistic  attain- 
ments of  the  neighboring  potters,  and  he  frequently  placed  his 
name  beneath  his  designs  on  plates  and  other  pieces.  It  would  ap- 
pear that  he  continued  the  manufacture  until  the  close  of  his  life, 
since  his  granddaughter,  Mrs.  Elvina  S.  Dickenshied,  possessed  a 
piece  of  his  ware  dated  1811,  the  year  of  his  death.  The  Spinner 
family  was  among  the  most  intelligent  and  prominent  in  that  sec- 
tion, and  for  many  years  the  potter  filled  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  General  F.  E.  Spinner,  treasurer  of  the  United  States  from 
1861  to  1875,  whose  striking  signature  on  the  paper  currency  will 
be  remembered  by  many,  was  a member  of  the  same  family. 

A number  of  signed  pieces  of  David  Spinner’s  work  are  extant, 
the  most  characteristic  being  embellished  with  figures  of  gay  cava- 
liers, of  mounted  horsemen,  brilliantly  attired  dames  and  hunting 
scenes.  One  shows  a gentleman  and  lady  in  Continental  dress  (No. 
15),  and  a second  bears  the  representation  of  a horse  race  and  the 
words  “ David  Spinner  Potter  ” beneath,  while  above  the  head  of 
one  of  the  riders  is  written  “ Go  for  a half  a Joe,”  the  latter  word 
being  the  name  of  a gold  coin  in  use  at  that  time,  an  abbreviation 
of  “ Johannes,”  a Portuguese  piece,  which  was  equivalent  to  about 
fourteen  dollars  in  the  currency  of  this  country  (see  No.  18). 


16 


Some  of  these  artistic  efforts,  while  complete  in  themselves, 
could  be  combined  to  form  a connected  scene.  Two  of  the  plates 
here  shown  (Nos.  16  and  17)  were  so  intended,  for  Mrs.  Dicken- 
shied  has  informed  the  writer  that  they  always  stood  together  on 
the  mantel  of  the  old  home,  where  they  were  preserved  for  many 
years.  By  covering  the  forepart  of  the  horse  on  the  deer  plate 
with  the  corresponding  portion  of  the  lady’s  steed  in  the  other 
piece,  the  representation  of  an  old-time  hunt  was  obtained.  This 
is  an  interesting  illustration  of  a curious  conceit,  and  it  is  remark- 
able that  the  two  parts  of  the  design  should  be  preserved,  and  in 
such  perfect  condition,  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a century. 

Of  particular  interest  are  two  plates  with  figures  of  Continental 
soldiers  in  gaily  colored  uniforms,  red,  green  and  yellow.  One 
shows  a pair  of  musicians, — a drummer  and  fifer, — while  the  other 
is  ornamented  with  etchings  of  two  warriors  standing  with  their 
muskets  at  shoulder  arms,  above  which  is  scratched  the  old-time 
word  of  command,  “ Sholder  Firelocks.”  At  either  side  of  these 
twin  plates  is  the  characteristic  representation  of  the  flowers  of  the 
fuchsia,  which  on  this  ware  shared  the  honors  with  the  tulip  (see 
No.  19). 

Among  the  most  prominent  of  these  early  makers  of  decorated 
earthenware  was  Johannes  Neesz  (sometimes  written  Johann 
Nesz,  and  so  spelled  on  his  gravestone),  who  was  born  April  14, 
1775,  and  died  October  27, 1867,  aged  ninety-two  years.  The  Neesz 
pottery  was  situated  near  a little  hamlet  in  Montgomery  county, 
Pa.,  known  as  Tyler’s  Port,  and  was  erected  some  time  previous  to 
1800.  It  was  an  exception  to  the  general  rule,  as  it  stood  in  a field 
back  of  his  residence  a few  hundred  yards,  instead  of  forming  a 
portion  of  it.  It  was  a more  pretentious  establishment  than  any 
of  its  kind  in  that  section,  but  at  the  present  time  nothing  can  be 
seen  of  it  but  the  crumbling  debris  of  some  of  the  walls  and  a hol- 
low in  the  ground  where  once  stood  the  old  kiln. 

It  is  said  that  Johannes  Neesz  learned  his  trade  at  an  old  pottery 
near  Spinnerstown,  not  far  from  Tyler’s  Port.  This  was  in  all 
probability  the  David  Spinner  establishment,  as  we  know  of  no 
other  pottery  that  existed  in  that  neighborhood.  This  supposition 
is  strengthened  by  the  marked  resemblance  in  the  decorative  work 
of  the  wares  produced  by  the  two  potters,  which  is  particularly 
evident  in  the  drawing  of  the  horses  and  human  figures. 

W e do  not  know  when  Johannes  Neesz  commenced  potting.  The 


18.  Signed  Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (11%  inches). 
A Horse  Race. 

By  David  Spinner,  about  1800. 


19.  Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (11%  inches). 
Continental  Soldiers. 

By  David  Spinner,  about  1800. 
Museum  No.  ’00-199. 


t 


21.  Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (11  inches). 
General  Washington  on  Horseback, 


20.  Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (9  inches). 
With  Tulip  Decoration. 

Made  by  Johannes  Neesz,  1826. 


22.  Sgraffito  Jardiniere  (12  inches  in  height). 
Made  by  Samuel  Troxel,  Montgomery  Co.,  Pa.,  1828. 
Museum  No.  ’00-22. 


23.  Sgraffito  Pish  (9P2  inches  in  length). 
Made  by  Samuel  Troxel,  1823. 
Museum  No.  ’03-14. 


17 


earliest  dated  example  of  his  work  which  we  have  discovered  was 
produced  in  the  year  1805,  but  it  is  probable  that  he  had  then  been 
making  decorated  ware  for  some  time.  The  writer  has  gathered 
together  a most  interesting  series  of  pie  plates,  now  exhibited  in 
this  Museum,  that  were  made  at  the  Neesz  pottery,  evidently  by 
the  same  artist,  all  bearing  a similar  central  design  of  a mounted 
Continental  soldier,  supposed  to  have  originally  been  intended  to 
represent  General  George  Washington.  The  idea  was  probably 
suggested  by  an  old  print  which  was  at  one  time  a familiar  wall 
piece  in  the  dwellings  of  the  Pennsylvania  Germans.  The  ceramic 
design  was,  doubtless,  inspired  by  the  death  of  the  nation’s  great 
hero,  and  may  have  appeared  soon  after  that  melancholy  event 
(see  No.  21). 

The  manufacture  of  both  sgraffito  and  slip-decorated  pottery  was 
continued  by  John  Nase,  a son,  until  about  1850. 

A fluted,  or  scalloped,  sgraffito  dish,  of  oblong  shape,  made  by 
Samuel  Troxel,  in  Montgomery  county,  in  1823,  may  be  seen  in 
this  Museum  (No.  23).  It  is  uncertain  when  his  pottery  was  es- 
tablished, but  it  is  probable  that  it  was  somewhere  near  this  date, 
which  is  the  earliest  that  has  been  found  on  any  of  his  produc- 
tions. 

In  the  collection  is  also  an  elaborately  decorated  earthenware 
flowerpot  or  jardiniere,  a foot  in  height  and  thirteen  inches  in  di- 
ameter, from  the  same  pottery.  This  fine  example  is  almost  entirely 
covered  with  bands  of  incised  work  in  conventional  designs.  A 
short  distance  from  the  top  is  a projecting  ledge,  crimped  like  pie 
crust,  while  above  this  is  a narrow  zone  containing  etched  figures 
of  birds  and  flowers ; extending  around  the  edge  is  the  following 
inscription  : 

“Dieser  haffen  von  erd  gemacht 
Und  wann  er  verbrecht  der  hefner  lacht.” 

This  pot  is  made  of  earth, 

And  when  it  breaks  the  potter  laughs. 

It  also  bears  the  maker’s  name  and  the  date  1828  (No.  22). 

Some  two  miles  west  of  Tyler’s  Port,  Montgomery  county,  Pa., 
Friedrich  Hildebrand  manufactured  earthenware  previous  to  1830. 
Examples  of  his  work  are  not  now  abundant,  but  when  found  they 
can  usually  be  recognized.  Those  that  have  fallen  under  our  ob- 
servation are  distinguished  by  a grotesque  element  in  the  decora- 
tive designs,  which  have  the  appearance  of  having  been  pricked 


18 


through  the  coating  of  white  slip  by  a sharp  point,  instead  of  be- 
ing incised,  as  in  the  usual  style  of  sgraffito  work.  A small  pie 
plate  of  this  character,  procured  from  a descendant  of  the  maker, 
and  now  in  the  Museum  collection,  bears  in  the  centre  the  figure 
of  a lion,  passant,  while  around  the  rim  is  a well-lettered  inscrip- 
tion : 

1 1 Ich  Liebe  was  fein  ist, 

Warm  Sclion  nicht  mein  ist, 

Und  nur  nicht  werden  Kan, 

So  hab  ich  doch  die  freud  Darn.” 

I like  fine  things 
Even  when  they  are  not  mine 
And  cannot  become  mine 
I still  enjoy  them. 

The  surface  of  the  piece  has  the  appearance  of  being  covered 
with  a thin  coating  of  varnish,  an  effect  produced  by  smearing  the 
inside  of  the  sagger,  in  which  it  was  fired,  with  the  ordinary  lead 
glaze,  which  in  the  kiln  would  vaporize  and  form  a slight  deposit 
on  the  ware,  technically  known  as  “smear  ” glaze.  On  the  back  of 
the  plate  the  name  of  Johannes  Leman,  a workman,  is  scratched 
in  the  clay  (No.  24). 

A small  sgraffito  jar,  in  the  National  Museum,  at  Washington, 
is  a good  example  of  peacock  decoration.  In  this  piece  no  color- 
ing has  been  used  but  the  natural  tint  of  the  clays.  Through  the 
white  ground,  which  has  been  cut  away  to  form  the  design,  the 
red  of  the  under  clay  appears,  the  iridescent  eyes  of  the  tail  plumes 
of  the  bird  being  represented  by  a red  and  white  checker-board 
effect.  No  date  appears  on  this  piece,  but  the  workmanship  indi- 
cates that  it  belongs  to  about  the  period  of  1825  (No.  25). 

III.  SLIP-DECORATED , OR  SLIP  PAINTED , 
POTTERY. 

Slip  decoration,  or  slip-tracing,  consists  in  trickling  liquid  clay, 
or  slip,  over  the  surface  of  the  unburned  ware,  through  a quill 
which  is  attached  to  a little  earthenware  cup,  to  produce  the  deco- 
rative designs,  the  slip  being  of  the  consistence  of  thick  cream,  or 
batter,  usually  of  a lighter  tint  than  the  coarse  clay  to  which  it  is 
applied.  In  a general  way,  it  may  be  said  that  slip  decoration  is 
characterized  by  light  colored  ornamentation  on  a darker  ground, 
the  reverse  of  sgraffito  work,  the  designs  being  slightly  in  relief. 


24.  Sgraffito  Pie  Plate  (8V^  inches). 
Made  by  Friedrich  Hildebrand,  c.  1830. 


25.  Sgraffito  Jar. 
Showing  Peacock  Motive. 
National  Museum,  Washington, 
About  1825. 


. 


19 


PROCESSES. 

Slip-decorated  pottery  was  generally  subjected  to  but  one  bak- 
ing. The  patterns  were  traced  on  the  unburned  clay  by  means  of 
the  slip  cup,  or  quill  box,  and  over  all  the  glaze  was  applied.  The 
ware  was  then  placed  in  the  kiln,  and  body,  decoration  and  glaze 
were  fired  together. 

There  are  several  points  of  difference  in  the  processes  of  slip 
decoration  as  practised  in  England  and  America.  The  English 
potter  was  accustomed  to  use  a slip  cup  which  was  closed  at  the 
top,  the  only  opening  being  a small  air  hole,  by  means  of  which 
the  flow  of  the  liquid  clay  could  be  regulated  by  the  thumb  of  the 
operator.  When  the  hole  was  opened  to  admit  the  air  the  slip 
flowed  freely,  and  when  closed  the  flow  was  stopped.  The 
American  potter  used  an  open  cup  and  controlled  the  passage  of 
the  decorating  material  by  quickly  and  dexterously  raising  the 
quill  when  the  flow  was  to  be  interrupted.  Several  good  examples 
of  slip  cups  may  be  seen  in  this  Museum. 

The  glazing  of  the  English  ware  was  accomplished  by  dusting 
over  the  surface,  through  a coarse  bag,  powdered  galena  or  lead 
ore,  which  in  the  oven  melted  and  overspread  the  ware  evenly. 
In  America  the  glaze,  applied  in  liquid  form,  consisted  of  a prepa- 
ration of  red  lead,  or  occasionally  of  crude  ore,  mixed  with  fine 
clay  and  water.  Dr.  Plot,  in  his  “Staffordshire,”  published  in 
1686,  thus  describes  the  process  of  glazing  slip-decorated  and 
“ combed  ” ware : 

“ After  the  vessels  are  painted  they  lead  them  with  that  sort  of 
Lead  Ore  they  call  Smithum , which  is  the  smallest  ore  of  all,  beaten 
into  dust,  finely  sifted,  and  strewn  upon  them;  which  gives  them 
the  gloss , but  not  the  color ; all  the  colors  being  chiefly  given  by 
the  variety  of  slips,  except  the  motley  color , which  is  produced  by 
the  blending  of  Lead  and  Manganese,  by  the  workmen  called 
Magnus.  But  when  they  have  a mind  to  shew  the  utmost  of  their 
skill  in  giving  their  wares  the  fairer  gloss  than  ordinary,  they  lead 
them  then  with  lead  calcined  into  powder,  which  they  also  sift  fine 
and  strew  upon  them  as  before,  which  not  only  gives,  them  a 
higher  gloss,  but  goes  much  further  too  in  their  work  than  the 
lead  ore  would  have  done.” 

A third  point  of  dissimilarity  was  the  employment  of  oxide  of 
copper,  or  verdigris,  by  the  Pennsylvania-German  potters,  to  pro- 
duce the  green  color  so  often  seen  on  their  products,  which  on  the 
English  ware  is  seldom,  if  ever,  found. 


20 


ITALY. 

A variety  of  slip-decorated  ware  produced  in  Italy  in  the  fifteenth 
century  was  known  as  “Mezza  Maiolica.”  This  was  a coarse  red 
ware  covered  with  a thin  coating  of  white  slip  on  which  the  deco- 
rative designs  were  painted.  It  was  then  glazed  with  lead  over 
which  metallic  lustres  were  frequently  applied.  Sometimes  the 
outlines  of  the  painted  decorations  were  traced  in  black  or  in  blue. 
“ It  was  about  the  year  1300  that  the  method  of  covering  the  clay 
with  a ‘slip’  or  ‘engobe’  of  white  earth,  or  the  coarser  earth  of 
Verona,  was  first  adopted.  Slightly  baked,  it  was  glazed  with 
‘marzacotto’  (oxide  of  lead  and  glass),  applied  wet  and  again 
fired ; and  this  glaze  was  variously  coloured  yellow,  green,  black 
and  blue,  by  iron,  copper,  manganese  and  cobalt.”* 

FRANCE. 

It  is  known  that  slip-decorated  pottery  was  made  at  various 
places  in  France,  but  very  few  pieces  have  been  preserved.  At 
Lezoux  fragments  of  slip  ware  have  been  unearthed,  together  with 
one  of  the  little  slip  cups  or  “ pipettes  ” used  in  decorating. 

GERMANY. 

Just  when  slip-decorated  pottery  was  first  made  in  Germany  is 
a matter  of  conjecture,  but  it  is  believed  that  the  art  of  true  slip 
decoration  antedated  the  sgraffito  style  of  ornamentation  in  the 
Valley  of  the  Rhine  by  many  years,  being  firmly  established  fully 
as  early  as  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century,  or  soon  after  the  in- 
troduction of  the  tulip  into  that  country.  This  flower,  a native  of 
the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  in  the  Levant,  or  that  region  to 
the  east  of  Italy,  extending  into  Turkey  and  Persia,  is  said  to  have 
been  brought  from  Constantinople  to  Augsburg  by  Konrad  von 
Gesner,  a noted  botanist  and  zoologist  of  Switzerland,  in  the  year 
1559,  where  it  soon  came  into  popular  favor.  In  the  seventeenth 
century  the  cultivation  of  this  plant  developed  in  Holland  to  such 
an  extent  that  it  became  one  of  the  most  remarkable  horticultural 
manias  of  the  world’s  history,  and  fabulous  prices  were  frequently 

* South  Kenzington  Handbook  on  Maiolica , by  C.  Drury  E.  Fortnum,  F.S.A., 

p.  11. 


26.  Slip-Decorated  Dish  (15  inches). 
German,  1629. 

Museum  No.  ’05-442. 


27.  Slip-Decorated  Dish  (12  inches). 
Polychrome  Designs  on  Black  Ground. 

^^^^h^^i^^^^^^^n^DroughM^Pennsyh^inia. 


21 


paid  for  new  and  rare  varieties.  The  Tulpenwuth , or  “ Tulip  Mad- 
ness,” extended  into  Germany  and  continued  to  rage  there  for 
many  years.  The  German  potters  of  the  seventeenth  and  eigh- 
teenth centuries,  particularly  throughout  the  Rhenish  Palatinate, 
employed  this  flower  extensively  as  a decorative  subject  on  their 
slip-ornamented  earthenware.  It  is  found  in  illustrations  3 and 
4,  and  figures  on  much  of  the  earlier  glazed  wares  of  that  country. 

A large  dish  of  German  workmanship,  in  the  Museum  collection, 
bears  the  early  date  of  1629  (see  No.  26).  The  clay  is  of  a dirty 
white  or  buff  color.  The  central  design  of  a stag  and  tree  has 
been  painted  with  colored  slips,  while  around  the  rim  or  marly  is 
traced  in  brown  slip  the  following  inscription  in  archaic  lettering : 

“Ich  bin  ein  gerst  (gast)  auf  ferner  Zeitt 
Gelob  eei  Gott  in  Ewigkeitt.” 

We  are  indebted  to  Prof.  C.  H.  Plugge,  of  Washington,  for  the 
following  liberal  translation  : 

I am  an  old  guest  of  yours  ; 

May  God  be  praised  forever. 

Or,  Thank  God  that  I am  an  old  guest  of  yours. 

The  orthography  is  that  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  The  date  is  the  earliest  we  have  met  with. 

In  this  Museum  is  an  interesting  example  of  German  slip-deco- 
rated ware  of  a later  period,  a bowl-shaped  dish  of  bright  red  clay 
covered  with  a jet  black,  manganiferous  glaze.  The  ornamentation 
is  traced  in  brightly  colored  slips, — red,  yellow,  green,  and  white, — 
which  stands  out  effectively  on  the  glossy  black  ground.  In  the 
centre  is  a house,  on  the  roof  of  which  is  perched  a gigantic  bird  ; 
at  the  side  is  a female  figure  and  an  enormous  garden  vase  filled 
with  flowers,  while  beneath  is  the  date,  1826  (see  No.  27).  This 
dish  was  brought  from  Germany  by  the  recent  owner,  who  settled 
in  the  Pennsylvania-German  district.  Imported  pieces  of  this 
character,  which  are  now  so  rarely  met  with  in  this  country,  were 
once  comparatively  abundant  here,  and  exerted  an  important  in- 
fluence on  the  art,  as  we  shall  see,  in  the  Pennsylvania-German 
community. 


22 


SWITZERLAND. 

The  ceramic  wares  of  Germany  and  Switzerland  have  always 
been  more  or  less  closely  allied.  Slip-decorated  ware,  in  the  Ger- 
man style,  was  produced  by  the  Swiss  potters  to  a considerable  ex- 
tent in  the  eighteenth,  and  probably  in  the  seventeenth,  century. 
Most  characteristic  are  the  bowls  and  tureens  with  covers  built  up 
into  crown-shaped  ornaments  by  the  coiling  of  thin  ropes  of  clay 
into  spirals  and  scrolls,  with  interstices  and  edges  finished  with 
little  balls  of  clay  and  bead  work,  the  entire  surface  being  relieved 
by  dots  and  dashes  of  white  slip. 

ENGLAND. 

Slip  decoration  does  not  appear  to  have  been  practised  by  the 
English  potters  to  any  extent  prior  to  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  Much  of  the  pottery  made  before  that  period,  which  by 
some  authors  has  been  improperly  classed  with  slip-traced  ware, 
was  embellished  with  applied  mouldings  of  white  or  yellow  clay, 
and  was  therefore  an  entirely  distinct  product.  A tyg,  or  drinking 
cup,  with  several  looped  handles,  in  the  Liverpool  Museum,  is 
made  of  common  red  clay  to  which  stamped  relief  ornaments  of 
white  clay  and  the  date  1612  are  attached.  Similar  examples,  of  a 
little  later  date,  were  made  at  Wrotham  in  Kent.  The  decoration 
was  accomplished  by  sticking  little  pieces  of  white  or  yellowish 
plastic  clay  to  the  surface  and  impressing  relief  devices  upon  them 
with  metal  or  wooden  stamps.  Of  a somewhat  similar  character 
was  the  fine  red  and  black  ware  embellished  with  ornaments  of 
white  clay  stamped  in  relief  by  the  aid  of  seals  or  dies,  which  was 
brought  to  great  perfection  by  Astbury  soon  after  1710.  At  a later 
date  the  same  potter  invented  his  Portobello  ware  with  emboss- 
ments of  white  pipe  clay  on  a fine  red  or  faun  colored  body,  rep- 
resenting ships,  fortifications  and  figures,  in  commemoration  of  the 
taking  of  Porto  Bello  by  Admiral  Vernon  in  1739. 

One  of  the  earliest  varieties  of  slip  ware  was  decorated  by 
“ combing.”  While  the  body  was  still  moist  a slip  of  another 
color  was  poured  upon  the  clay.  The  plastic  body  and  liquid  slip 
were  then  combed  together  by  means  of  a many-pointed  tool,  or 
brush,  of  leather,  wood,  or  wire,  which  produced  a marbled  or 
veined  effect  in  two  colors.  Tygs,  posset  pots,  piggins,  and  owl- 


28.  Slit-Decorated  Dish. 

Queen  Elizabeth  and  the  Karl  of  Leicester. 
Staffordshire,  England  ; Eighteenth  Century. 
Nottingham  Art  Museum. 


29.  Slip-Decorated  Posset  Pot  (7  inches  in  diam.). 
Staffordshire,  England,  1702. 

Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Boston. 


23 


shaped  jugs  of  marbled  ware  were  at  one  time  abundant  in  the 
Staffordshire  district. 

True  slip-decorated  pottery  was  produced  at  various  places  in 
England.  We  shall  describe  here  only  the  most  important  and 
characteristic  varieties. 

WROTHAM  SLIP. 

Slip  ware  was  made  here  from  about  1654  to  1710,  or  perhaps  a 
little  later.  The  ware  was  of  a rich  red  color,  decorated  with  yellow 
or  buff  slip  designs.  Ropes  of  light  colored  clay,  or  of  red  and 
white  clay  twisted  together,  frequently  extended  down  the  outside 
surface  of  the  handles,  and  little  drops  of  white  slip  were  applied 
to  the  red  ground  freely.  The  predominating  articles  of  Wrotham 
ware  are  tygs,  posset  pots,  jugs,  and  candlesticks. 

METROPOLITAN  SLIP. 

In  London  and  near  by,  slip  ware  has  been  found  in  great 
abundance.  This  ware  is  of  a darker  body  than  that  of  Wrotham 
and  the  decoration  is  confined  almost  entirely  to  simple  bands  and 
wavy  lines  of  white  slip  and  inscriptions  rudely  traced  in  large 
letters.  The  pieces  usually  found  are  cups,  mugs,  and  jugs.  The 
earliest  known  piece  bears  the  date  1638.  The  name  “ Metropoli- 
tan Slip  Ware  ” has  been  given  to  this  variety. 

STAFFORDSHIRE  SLIP. 

The  most  important  centre  of  slip  decoration  in  England,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  and  the  first  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  was  North  Staffordshire.  Foremost  among  the  slip  pot- 
ters wrere  Thomas  and  Ralph  Toft,  some  of  whose  pieces  bear  dates 
as  early  as  1676  and  1677.  Numerous  large  circular  dishes,  rang- 
ing in  size  from  twelve  to  upwards  of  twenty  inches,  with  trellised 
borders  and  central  designs  representing  eminent  personages,  are 
inscribed  with  the  names  of  these  potters.  Other  prominent  slip 
wTare  makers  in  the  Staffordshire  district  were  Ralph  Simpson,  T. 
Johnson,  Ralph  Turner,  Thomas  Sans,  Joseph  Glass,  William 
Wright,  and  William  Taylor.  Their  principal  products  were  simi- 
lar in  form  to  those  produced  in  Wrotham  and  London,  but  pecu- 
liar to  this  district  were  the  miniature  cradles  which  were  made  in 
considerable  numbers.  On  account  of  the  distinctive  character  of 
the  work  of  the  Tofts,  all  slip-decorated  ware  in  England  has  come 
to  be  generally  known  as  “ Toft  Ware.” 


24 


DERBY  SLIP. 

To  the  Cock  Pit  Hill  pottery,  Derby,  a distinctive  style  of  deco- 
ration has  been  attributed.  The  designs  were  outlined  in  relief, 
and  into  the  grooves  between  slips  of  several  different  colors  were 
poured.  All  slip-decorated  dishes  of  circular  form  were  shaped 
over  a convex  mould,  and  to  produce  the  raised  outlines  the  pat- 
terns were  engraved  in  the  surface  of  the  mould.  The  clay  pressed 
into  these  depressions  would  take  the  designs  in  relief.  The  effect 
of  this  style  of  decoration  was  similar  to  that  of  champleve  enamel, 
the  colored  slips  being  sunk  in  the  grooves  between  the  ridges. 
Little  drops  of  white  slip  were  then  scattered  over  the  surface  of  the 
slip  designs. 

At  Tickenhall  rude  slip  ware  was  made  in  the  seventeenth  and 
eighteenth  centuries. 

We  figure  here  (No.  28)  one  of  the  large  dishes  with  trellised 
borders  of  the  Staffordshire  style.  The  original  is  in  the  Art  Mu- 
seum of  Nottingham,  England.  The  figures  in  the  centre  are  in- 
tended to  represent  Queen  Elizabeth  and  the  Earl  of  Leicester. 

In  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Boston,  is  an  excellent  example  of 
English  slip  ware,  a posset  pot  of  yellow  clay,  seven  inches  in  di- 
ameter, with  an  upright  handle  at  each  side.  The  decorative  mo- 
tives consist  of  rudely  traced  tulips  and  roses,  arranged  alternately, 
the  outlines  being  slightly  raised  in  brown  slip,  covered  with 
thickly  set  dots  of  white  slip.  Around  the  upper  margin  is  the 
inscription,  “ the  best  es  not  too  good  for  you,”  and  the  date 
1702  (No.  29). 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  on  many  of  the  early  English  slip- 
traced  pieces  the  principal  decorative  motive  is  the  tulip,  which 
fact  suggests  the  probability  that  the  art  of  slip  decoration  was  in- 
troduced into  England  from  Germany. 

Slip-decorated  pottery,  or  “ Toft  Ware,”  has  been  extensively 
counterfeited  in  England,  and  many  spurious  pieces  have  found 
their  way  into  private  cabinets  and  public  collections. 

THE  UNITED  STATES. 

The  earliest  known  piece  of  slip  ware  found  in  Pennsylvania  is 
a shaving  dish  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  George  H.  Danner,  of  Man- 
heim,  Lancaster  county,  Pa.,  bearing  the  date  of  1733. 

The  oldest  example  of  slip-decorated  earthenware  in  this  Mu- 


Jar.  Made  by  Christian  Klinker,  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  1773. 

Pie  Plate,  with  Dove.  Made  by  Benjamin  Bergey,  Montgomery  County,  Pa..,  about  1830. 
Sugar  Bowl,  with  Crown-shaped  Lid.  Made  by  John  Nase,  about  1830. 

Pie  Plate,  with  Officer  on  Horseback.  Made  by  Benjamin  Bergey,  about  1838. 


25 


seum,  from  the  Pennsylvania-German  district,  is  a shaving  basin 
embellished  with  paintings  of  barbers’ implements  in  white  slip, — 
a razor,  scissors,  comb,  and  cake  of  soap.  On  the  edge  of  the 
sunken  part,  or  cavetto , is  a little  shelf  for  the  soap.  Around  the 
margin  is  the  following  inscription : 

“Sibe  (siebe)  du  armer  bart 
Jetz  must  von  deiner  schwart.” 

(I  must)  lather  you,  poor  beard  ; 

Now  (you)  must  (come)  from  your  hide. 

The  origin  of  this  piece  is  not  known,  but  it  was  undoubtedly 
produced  at  one  of  the  earlier  potteries  of  the  district,  probably 
previous  to  1750  (No.  31). 

In  some  respects  the  finest  example  of  American  slip-painted 
ware  thus  far  discovered  is  a large  dish  in  this  Museum,  seventeen 
and  a half  inches  in  diameter,  which  was  made  in  1769  (see  No. 
32).  The  central  decoration  is  a three-flowered  tulip  boldly  traced 
in  raised  white  slip  with  bright  green  centres.  Around  the  sloping 
margin  are  two  circles  of  inscriptions  in  archaic  lettering,  only 
portions  of  which  are  decipherable.  The  outer  line  reads  as  fol- 
lows : 

“ Aufrichtig  gegen  jedermann 
Vertraulich  gegen  wanich 
Verschwiegen  sein  so  viil  mann  kahn 
Als  wer  ich  bin  der  bin  ich 

Und  dasz  ist  wahr.  Ao.  1769.” 

True  to  every  man 
Familiar  to  few  ( wenig ), 

To  be  reserved  as  much  as  possible  ( viel ), 

Then  it  is  known  that  what  I am,  that  I am, 

And  that  is  true. 

A deep  dish  with  sloping  sides,  measuring  fourteen  inches  across 
the  top,  is  of  a yellowish  clay,  on  which  has  been  traced  heavy 
lines  of  white  and  green  slips  (No.  33).  A bird  stands  beneath  the 
protecting  shadow  of  a bending  tulip,  encircled  by  an  ancient 
German  proverb,  in  slip-traced  lettering,  the  words  being  separated 
by  vertical  waving  lines  in  green  slip  : 

“Gliick  und  ungliick 
Ist  aller  morgen  unser  Fruhstuk.” 

Luck  and  misfortune  (unluck) 

Are  every  morning  our  breakfast. 


26 


Belonging  to  about  the  same  period, — the  end  of  the  eighteenth 
century, — is  a fine  large  dish  with  slip-traced  design  of  tulips  and 
birds  and  the  following  quotation : 

1 1 Sing,  bet  und  geh  anff  Gottes  wegen 
Vericht  das  deine  nnr  getreu.”* 

Sing,  pray  and  go  on  God’s  way 
Perform  what  thou  hast  to  do  faithfully. 

The  lettering  and  central  decoration  are  traced  boldly  in  white 
slip,  which  stands  out  in  sharp  contrast  to  the  rich  red  body  of  the 
ware.  The  work  is  simple  and  effective  and  reveals  the  hand  of  an 
experienced  slip  painter  (No.  34).  It  is  probable  that  this  and  the 
preceding  were  made  by  John  Leidy,  of  Souderton,  Montgomery 
county,  Pa. 

Among  the  figure  subjects  used  in  decorating  the  old  Pennsylva- 
nia-German wares  the  fish  appears  but  rarely.  In  sgraffito  work 
it  has  been  found  occasionally,  but  only  as  one  of  a number  of 
minor  details.  Of  the  slip-traced  pieces  only  one  example  in  the 
collection  bears  this  device.  Here  the  fish  motive  is  the  principal 
one,  covering  the  entire  centre  of  a large  dish.  Above  and  below 
are  foliated  ornaments,  and  on  the  edge  is  the  date  1801.  It  is  not 
probable  that  any  particular  species  of  fish  was  in  the  mind  of  the 
artist,  as  no  ventral  or  dorsal  fins  are  shown  and  the  caudal  fin  or 
tail  is  divided  into  three  parts,  the  scales  being  represented  by 
parallel,  waving  lines.  This  dish  was  intended  for  serving  fish  or 
meat  at  the  table  (see  No.  35). 

In  the  Museum  collection  are  several  examples  of  a rich  dark 
brown  or  chocolate  color,  probably  the  product  of  a single  pot- 
tery, and  distinctly  different  in  appearance  from  the  ordinary  red 
ware  produced  in  eastern  Pennsylvania.  The  peculiar  color  was 
obtained  by  glazing  with  red  lead  to  which  manganese  had  been 
added.  In  the  majority  of  these  pieces  the  brown  tint  did  not 
extend  to  the  red  body  beneath,  but  in  one  instance  the  clay  itself 
had  also  been  similarly  colored  so  that  the  body  and  glaze  are  of 
the  same  dark  hue  throughout.  In  all  of  these  pieces  the  orna- 

* Mr.  F.  D.  Langenheim,  of  Philadelphia,  has  recognized  these  lines  as  form- 
ing the  first  two  verses  of  the  seventh  stanza  of  an  old  German  hymn,  beginning 
“Wer  nur  den  lieber  Gott  laszt  walten,”  written  in  1640  by  Georg  Neumark, 
court  poet  and  librarian  in  Weimar,  born  1621,  died  1681.  This  was  his  most 
celebrated  hymn,  being  first  printed  in  1657. 


31.  Slip-Decorated  Shaving  Basin  (8  inches). 
Eastern  Pennsylvania,  c.  1750. 

Museum  No.  ’03-368. 


32.  Slip-Decorated  Dish  (17}^  inches). 
Eastern  Pennsylvania,  1769. 
Museum  No.  ’93-190. 


33.  Slip-Decorated  Dish  (14  inches). 
Probably  made  by  John  Leidy,  Souderton,  Pa.,  c.  1796. 
Museum  No.  ’93-217. 


34.  Slip-Decorated  Dish  (14  inches). 
Probably  made  by  John  Leidy,  c.  1796. 
Museum  No.  ’00-9. 


35.  Slip-Decorated  Dish  (14%  inches). 
Fish  Decoration. 
Southeastern  Pennsylvania,  1801. 
Museum  No.  ’02-13. 


36.  Slip-Decorated  Deep  Dish  (13  inches). 
Polychrome  Decoration  on  Chocolate-colored  Ground. 
Southeastern  Pennsylvania,  c.  1840. 


27 


mentation  has  been  traced  in  liquid  slips  of  various  colors, — white, 
green,  blue,  dark  brown  and  olive,  in  feather-shaped  and  serpentine 
devices.  Incised  decorations  do  not  appear  to  have  been  attempted 
on  this  variety  of  clay,  for  the  reason,  perhaps,  that  their  effective- 
ness depended  on  the  transparency  of  the  glaze  to  bring  out  the 
bright  red  color  of  the  body,  while  the  opaque  quality  of  the  man- 
ganese glaze  would  entirely  destroy  this  desired  effect,  leaving  in- 
stead a plain  surface  with  slightly  depressed  and  indistinct  deco- 
rative patterns  of  a uniform  dark  color. 

The  most  elaborate  example  of  this  character  in  the  collection 
is  a large,  deep,  flat-bottomed  vegetable  dish,  with  horizontal  edge 
or  marly  and  a central  design  of  a tile-roofed  house,  at  one  side  of 
which  is  a porch  on  which  the  figures  of  a man  and  woman  are 
shown  in  the  attitude  of  shaking  hands.  At  either  side  is  a tree 
laden  with  enormous  apples,  which  are  represented  by  drops  of 
white  slip.  There  is  no  name  or  date  on  this  piece,  but  its  age 
may  be  approximately  fixed  by  a somewhat  similar  dish  with  a 
rude  slip-traced  house  in  the  centre  and  the  date  1843  beneath  (see 
No.  36).  These  pieces  strongly  resemble,  both  in  the  color  of  the 
glaze  and  the  decorative  treatment,  the  imported  German  dish 
shown  in  No.  22. 

A curious  variation  in  decorative  treatment  was  the  moulding  of 
dishes  in  an  engraved  matrix.  The  ordinary  circular  pie  plates 
were  always  shaped  over  a convex,  plainly  curved  form,  but  some 
half  dozen  dishes  which  have  recently  come  to  light  indicate  the 
employment  of  a somewThat  more  elaborate  process.  These  pieces 
are  octagonal  in  form,  the  eight  flat  sides  sloping  inward  toward 
the  centre.  They  are  about  eight  and  a half  inches  in  diameter 
and  an  inch  and  a quarter  in  depth.  The  ornamentation  was  en- 
graved or  cut  in  the  surface  of  the  convex,  octagonal  mould,  which 
was  reversed  in  the  finished  dish,  standing  out  boldly  in  relief. 
The  entire  surface  was  covered  with  a lead  glaze  so  that  the  ground 
and  reliefs  are  of  a uniform  dark  red  color.  While  these  pieces 
were  new  and  fresh  the  decorative  device  was  not  so  distinct  as  in 
the  variously  colored  slip  designs,  but  long  use  has  worn  away  the 
surface  of  the  glaze  on  the  raised  parts,  and  the  moulded  design 
has  been  brought  out  more  clearly.  The  central  device  is  a tulip, 
supported  on  either  side  by  what  appears  to  be  a cluster  of  grapes 
and  a six-pointed  star.  Beneath,  in  a rectangular  panel,  are  the 
initials  (presumably  of  the  maker)  I.  T.,  and  the  date  1794.  The 


28 


eight  side  panels  contain  alternately  representations  of  bunches 
of  grapes  and  crossed  swords,  while  the  angles  of  meeting  are  em- 
bossed with  raised  lines  in  the  herring-bone  pattern.  All  of  these 
pieces  appear  to  have  been  formed  in  the  same  mould,  such  as  was 
formerly  used  in  casting  metal  trays.  One  is  owned  by  Mr.  Henry 
D.  Paxson,  of  Holicong,  Bucks  county,  Pa.,  and  another  is  in  the 
collection  of  this  Museum.  We  cannot  with  any  degree  of  posi- 
tiveness attribute  these  pieces  to  any  particular  pottery,  but  it  is 
probable  that  they  were  made  by  Jacob  Taney,  in  Nockamixon 
township,  Bucks  county  (see  No.  37). 

Charles  Headman,  son  of  Andrew  Headman  (see  p.  13),  made 
slip-decorated  pottery  in  the  same  county  at  a later  date.  Among 
the  productions  of  his  pottery  are  flower  vases  with  five  tubes 
branching  out  from  a ring-shaped  body  of  coarse,  red  pottery, 
with  rude  floral  slip  designs  in  low  relief,  in  green,  brown  and 
yellow  (see  No.  38). 

Some  of  the  slip-decorated  pieces  found  in  the  Pennsylvania- 
German  district  have  been  attributed,  by  those  from  whom  they 
were  obtained,  to  Benjamin  Bergey,  who  is  said  to  have  operated 
a pottery  in  Montgomery  county  in  the  first  half  of  the  last  cen- 
tury. These  are  of  a different  character  from  decorative  slip-traced 
ware  made  at  other  German  potteries.  The  designs,  in  white  slip, 
after  being  trailed  on  the  surface  of  the  ware  from  a slip  cup,  were 
beaten  into  the  red  clay,  presenting  the  appearance  of  inlaid,  in- 
stead of  relief,  work.  Five  such  examples  are  known,  four  of 
which  may  be  seen  in  the  collection  of  this  Museum,  and  whether 
produced  by  Bergey  or  another  potter  are  unquestionably  from 
the  same  source.  One  of  these,  evidently  of  the  period  of  about 
1830,  bears  in  yellow  on  a red  ground  the  figure  of  a pigeon  or 
dove  standing  on  a twig  in  the  act  of  plucking  its  breast  (see  No. 
39).  It  is  possible  that  this  was  intended  to  represent  the  pelican, 
since  it  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  drawings  of  that  bird  occa- 
sionally found  on  the  old  certificates  of  birth,  marriage,  and  death, 
and  other  illuminated  work  of  the  Pennsylvania  Germans,  in  which 
drops  of  blood  are  shown  falling  from  the  pierced  breast  of  the 
parent  bird. 

A second  example  of  Bergey’s  work  is  a plaque,  fourteen  inches 
in  diameter,  decorated  with  a horse,  on  which  is  mounted  an  offi- 
cer of  disproportionate  size,  while  beneath  is  the  date  1838  (see 
No.  40). 


37.  Octagonal  Dish  (9%  inches). 
Moulded  Relief  Decoration. 
Made  by  I.  T.,  1794. 
Museum  No.  ’01-7. 


38.  Flower  Vase  (11  inches  in  height). 
Slip-Painted  Decoration. 

Made  by  Charles  Headman,  1849. 
Museum  No.  ’92-88, 


39.  Slip-Decorated  Pie  Plate  (13*^  inches). 
White  Slip  Beaten  in. 

By  Benjamin  Bergey,  about  1830. 
Museum  No.  ’93-218. 


40.  Slip-Decorated  Dish  (15  inches). 
Officer  on  Horseback. 

Made  by  Benjamin  Bergey,  1838. 
Museum  No.  ’02-14. 


29 


As  a rule,  the  ornamental  slip-traced  pieces  were  intended  for 
decoration  rather  than  for  service,  as  the  raised  tracings  would  be 
likely  to  chip  off  when  subjected  to  heat  or  hard  usage.  The 
above-described  examples,  however,  show  signs  of  considerable 
use,  having  been  made  in  the  same  manner  as  the  ordinary  utili- 
tarian pie  plates,  which  are  decorated  with  simple  curved  and 
zigzag  lines. 

The  exhibit  of  sgraffito  and  slip-decorated  earthenware  in  this 
Museum  from  the  Pennsylvania-German  potteries,  forming  a por- 
tion of  the  John  T.  Morris  collection,  is  the  most  important  of  its 
kind  in  existence.  It  consists  of  150  examples,  covering  the  period 
from  about  1750  to  1850,  after  which  the  manufacture  practically 
ceased. 

Slip  decoration  in  its  primitive  stages  is  now  a lost  art  in  the 
United  States.  It  flourished,  principally  in  Pennsylvania,  for 
nearly  a century  and  a half.  Its  decadence  commenced  with  the 
advent  of  pewter,  and  when  the  cheaper  grades  of  white  crockery 
began  to  be  introduced  the  products  of  the  German  potteries 
ceased  to  be  in  demand. 

Slip  decoration  was  the  forerunner  of  the  modern  art  of  paint- 
ing on  the  unbaked  ware  with  colored  clays,  as  exemplified  in  the 
Rookwood  pottery  of  the  present  day.  Its  highest  artistic  devel- 
opment is  found  in  the  pdte-sur-pate  process,  as  practised  by  Mr. 
M.  L.  Solon  at  the  Minton  factory  in  England,  who  is  recognized 
as  the  greatest  exponent  of  this  beautiful  art. 

IY.  MODELED , OR  MOULDED , LOTTERY. 

Throughout  Europe  moulded  or  modeled  lead  glazed  pottery 
was  produced  in  abundance  during  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth 
centuries.  In  Germany  clumsy  earthenware  figures  were  made  at 
numerous  local  pot-works  for  the  delectation  of  the  common  people. 
There  is  in  the  Museum  collection  a good  example  of  furniture  or 
stove  rest  of  the  eighteenth  century,  consisting  of  a support  or 
ledge  on  which  the  stove  foot  was  raised  from  the  floor,  modeled 
in  front  in  the  form  of  a woman’s  head  and  bust  (No.  41).  It  is 
made  of  buff  colored  clay,  covered  with  a brownish  glaze,  the  gift 
of  Mrs.  John  Harrison. 

In  Staffordshire,  England,  Enoch  and  Ralph  Wood  and  Thomas 
Whieldon  (who  was  in  partnership  with  Josiah  Wedgwood  about 
the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century),  among  others,  produced 


30 


pottery  figures  and  groups  with  mottled  glazes  for  mantel  decora- 
tion. A water  jug,  lent  by  Mrs.  Jones  Wister,  modeled  in  the  sem- 
blance of  a woman’s  head,  is  supposed  to  represent  the  features  of 
Queen  Victoria,  at  the  time  of  her  coronation  in  1837.  The  clay 
is  light  yellow,  the  upper  portion  being  colored  a deep  brown  by 
the  use  of  manganese  in  the  glaze  (No.  42).  It  is  of  Staffordshire 
manufacture. 

During  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth  century  many  of  the 
potters  in  the  United  States,  particularly  those  in  the  German 
communities  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  made  ornamental  pieces  of 
common  red  clay,  glazed  in  brown.  Toys,  whistles,  money  banks 
and  small  figurines  are  frequently  found,  and  several  good  exam- 
ples of  these  are  shown  in  the  collection  of  American  pottery. 

During,  and  for  some  time  succeeding,  the  exciting  presidential 
campaign  of  1840,  numerous  political  designs  were  produced  by 
American  glass  makers  and  potters,  prominent  among  which  was 
the  “ Log  Cabin  ” device,  having  reference  to  the  birth-place  of 
Gen.  W.  H.  Harrison,  the  candidate  for  the  Presidency.  A money 
safe,  of  yellow  earthenware,  with  green  and  brown  mottled  glaze, 
with  the  figure  of  a raccoon  on  the  roof  and  a hard  cider  barrel 
at  the  door,  was  produced  at  one  of  the  old  Philadelphia  pot- 
teries. A good  example  may  be  seen  in  the  Museum  collection. 

The  United  States  Pottery,  Bennington,  Vt.,  was  one  of  the  most 
important  establishments  for  the  manufacture  of  bone  china,  yel- 
low and  white  ware  in  this  country,  from  1846  to  1858,  but  it  is 
known  principally  for  its  “ Patent  Flint  Enameled  Ware,”  a fine 
quality  of  Rockingham  pottery,  composed  of  a light  yellow,  or  buff, 
clay,  covered  with  heavy,  variegated  glazes,  of  great  depth  and  rich- 
ness of  coloring,  first  produced  in  1849.  Toby  jugs,  bottles  in  the 
form  of  a man,  hound-handle  hunting  pitchers,  picture  frames, 
large  figures  of  cows,  stags,  dogs  and  lions,  small  statuettes,  candle- 
sticks, book  flasks,  tall  vase-shaped  goblets  and  toby  match  boxes 
are  a few  of  the  articles  produced  in  this  ware.  The  glazes  are  of 
great  variety  of  colorings, — blackish  brown,  yellow,  blue  and  olive, 
— combined  in  mottled  effects.  So  characteristic  is  this  ware  that 
it  is  easily  recognized  wherever  seen  (see  Nos.  44,  45,  46). 

The  second  variety  of  lead  glazed  pottery,  made  of  white,  or  re- 
fined, clays,  will  be  treated  in  a separate  Primer. 


. Lead  Glazed  Stove  Rest  inches  in  height).  42.  Lead  Glazed  Jug  (6%  inches  in  height). 

Germany,  Eighteenth  Century.  Head  of  Queen  Victoria  (?). 

Museum  No.  ’06-317,  Staffordshire,  England,  c.  1840. 

Museum  No.  Y.  144. 


43.  Lead  Glazed  Money  Bank  {4%  inches  in  height). 
Log  Cabin  and  Raccoon  Design  ; Yellow  Glaze. 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1840-1852. 

Museum  No.  ’95-77. 


44,45,46.  “Flint  Enameled”  Toby  Jugs  and  Bottle  (5%  and  10%  inches  in  height). 

U.  S.  Pottery,  Bennington,  Vt.,  1849.  . 

Museum  Nos.  ’97-38,  ’02-15. 


INDEX. 


American  pottery  collection,  30 
Amiens  Museum,  8,  9 
Anglefontaine,  9 
Antonius,  Presbiter,  8 
Austria,  10 

Bennington,  Vt.,  30 
Bergey,  Benjamin,  28 
Black  ground,  21 
Boston  Museum,  24 

Castel  Durante,  8 
Champleve  enamel,  24 
Characteristics,  5 
Chocolate  brown  glaze,  8,  26 
Citta  di  Castello,  8 
Cock  Pit  Hill  pottery,  24 

Danner,  George  H.,  12,  24 
Delft  ware,  5 
Derby  slip  ware,  24 
Devonshire  pottery,  11 
Doves,  12,  28 

Earl  of  Leicester,  24 
England,  10,  22 
Entoine  d’ Englefontaine,  9 

Figurines,  30 

“Flint  Enameled”  ware,  30 
Flower  vases,  28 
France,  8,  20 

Galicia,  10 

German  ware  in  Pennsylvania,  21 
Germany,  9,  20 
Gesner,  Konrad  von,  20 
Glass,  Joseph,  23 
Glaze,  black,  21 

chocolate  brown,  8,  26 
composition,  8 
green,  19 
manganese,  5,  26 
“smear,”  18 
tin,  5 

Glaze  of  Italian  sgraffito  ware,  8 
Glazing,  Methods  of,  5,  19 
Green  glaze,  19 

Harrison,  Mrs.  John,  29 
Harrison,  Gen.  W.  H.,  30 


Headman,  Andrew,  13,  28 
Headman,  Charles,  28 
Hildebrand,  Friedrich,  17,  18 
Hodgkin,  10,  11 
Holland,  20 
Hiibener,  Georg,  12 

Incised  pottery,  7 
I.  T.,  potter,  27 
Italy,  7,.  20 

Johnson,  T.,  23 

Langenheim,  F.  D.,  26 
Langnau,  10 

Lead  glazing,  Origin  of,  6 
Leidy,  John,  26 
Leman,  Johannes,  18 
Lezoux,  France,  20 
Log  Cabin  design,  30 
London,  England,  23 
Luxembourg,  9 

Manganese  glaze,  5,  26 
Metropolitan  slip  ware,  23 
Mezza  maiolica,  20 
Minton  factory,  29 
Mischianza,  14 
Modeled  pottery,  29 
Morris,  John  T.,  collection,  29 
Moulded  ware,  27 
Murs,  Johannes,  9 

Nase,  John,  17 

National  Museum,  Washington,  18 
Neesz,  Johannes,  16,  17 
Nesz,  Johann,  16 
Neumark,  Georg,  26 
Norwich  Museum,  10 
Nottingham  Museum,  24 

Origin,  6 

Pavia,  8 

Paxson,  Henry  D.,  28 
Peacocks,  13,  18 
Pelican,  28 

Pennsylvania-German  potteries,  11  et. 
seq. 

Pennsylvania  Museum  collection,  29 
Persia,  20 


32 


Plain  glazed  pottery,  6 
Plot,  Dr.,  19 
Plugge,  Prof.  C.  H.,  21 
Portobello  ware,  22 
Posset  pots,  22 
Prime,  Dr.  W.  C.,  6,  9 
Princeton  University,  9 

Queen  Elizabeth,  24 
Queen  Victoria,  30 

Ris  Paquot,  8 

Sans,  Thomas,  23 
Saxony,  9 
Sevres  Museum,  8 
Sgraffito  ware,  7,  24 
Shaving  basin , 25 
Simpson,  Ralph,  23 
Slip- decorated  ware,  18,  19 
Slip-decorated  ware,  earliest,  21 
Slip  decoration  brought  from  Germany, 
11,  24,  27 

Slip  designs  beaten  in,  28 
Slip  ware,  Derby,  24 

Metropolitan,  23 
Staffordshire,  23 
Tickenhall,  24 
United  States,  24 
Wrotham,  23 
u Smear”  glaze,  18 
Smith,  Joseph,  12 
Smith,  Thomas,  12 
Solon,  M.  L.,  29 
South  Kensington  Museum,  8 
Spinner,  David,  15,  16 
Spinner,  Gen.  F.  E.,  15 


Staffordshire,  30 

| Staffordshire  slip  ware,  23,  29 
! Switzerland,  10,  15,  20,  22 

Taney,  Jacob,  28 
Taylor,  William,  23 
Terry,  James,  12 
Tickenhall  slip  ware,  24 
Tiles,  10 
i Tin  enamel,  5 
S Toby  jugs,  30 
| Toft,  Thomas  and  Ralph,  23 
! Toft  ware,  23,  24 
I Toys,  30 

Troxel,  Samuel,  17 
Trumbull-Prime  collection, 
Truppet,  8 

Tulip  in  decoration,  20 
J Tulip  mania,  20 
I Turkey,  20 
| Turner,  Ralph,  23 
Tygs,  22 

| United  States,  11,  24 
j United  States  Pottery,  30 

j Vernon,  Admiral,  22 

Washington,  George,  17 
‘ Wedgwood,  Josiah,  29 
Whieldon,  Thomas  29 
Wister,  Mrs.  Jones,  30 
I Wood,  Enoch  and  Ralph,  29 
i Wright,  William,  23 
j Wrotham,  11,  22,  23 
Wrotham  slip  ware,  23 


21  ANTIQUES,  POTTERY  & PORCE- 
LAIN. Barber,  E.  A.  Lead  glazed  pottery. 
Part  first  (common  clays).  Plain  glazed, 
sgraffito  & slip-decorated  wares.  Illus. 
34pp.  (Pa.  Mus.  & School  of  Industrial 
Art)  1st  ed.  N.  Y.  1907.  $10.00 


364.  LEAD  GLAZED  POTTERY  (Part  I,  Common  Clays)  - Edwin  A. 
Barber.  Philadelphia,  1907.  Octavo,  paper.  A very  rare  work,  describ- 
ing the  characteristics,  origin  and  processes  of  plain  glazed,  sgraffito 
and  slip  decorated  wares  of  European  origin  and  more  especially  of 
American,  Pennsylvania  Dutch  origin.  46  illustrations.  12.50 


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